Workbench - biscuts or not

I am about to start laminating the top of my workbench. 2 1/4"x 24"x72"
maple top. I will be gluing up the top in increments, so that I can use
planner to keep the sections flat, with only the final joint being too large
to run through the planner. I had planned on using two rows of biscuits to
help keep the top level through each incremental stage.
However, in this month's edition of one of the woodworking mags (sorry at
work and don't remember exactly which one) the author says not to use
biscuits when laminating the top except for the last joint and only then in
the cutoff portion.
Is there a reason not to use biscuits in the body of the worktop? I
recognize that the dog holes will more than likely cut through some of the
biscuits, but I can't believe that will make any difference to the
structural integrity of the top.
Appreciate your thoughts.

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Biscuits in the situation you describe, gluing long grain to long grain,
will add nothing to the strength of the top. They may benefit in alignment
to some degree, but I personally wouldn't bother.

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I did a 3"x24"x78" maple top as 5 subassemblies. You do not need buscuits.
Make the subassemblies a little oversize (3/16?), The power plane and (edge)
rejoint the subassemblies.
If you feel that you need biscuits to help with allignment when joining the
subs together, go for it. Personally, I always fit glue-ups by hand without
any trouble. I suspect that alot of folks that rely on bisquits for
allignment are using stock that was not recently jointed and is no longer
dead-flat. Therefore, the biscuits are "pulling" slightly warped boards into
the same plane. With freshly jointed stock, I just don't have a problem
adjusting the glue-up by hand.

Gary you do not need biscuits. I definitely would use 5/16" allthread
thru the center of lamination. 4" from each end , space three or four
more in between.Bore 7/16" holes in each piece on drill press, make
sure you use a stop on fence. I bore the 4" first on each piece, then
next hole on each piece etc. This will keep your holes lined up.Glue
up 4 at a time using allthread and clamps. Then thickness plane. Glue
up three sections to give you 27" , counter bore outside boards for
nut washer , make sure the counterbore is large enough to acommadate
socket on wrench.The all thread prevents the top from separating with
temperature and humidity changes. If you are using square dogs , cut
them first in each edge with a dado or router.Dado is easier if you
want your holes to be 3 degrees out of square. When gluing up place
dogs in holes to check the holes line up correctly.
mike

The reason you WANT to use Biscuts is to aid you in the alginment of the
pieces. Once you glue the pieces and clamp them, they will shift around.
If you put in a few biscuts it will keep everything straight. You won't
need them for strength.
Kevin

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I missed the original post in this thread, but an issue of Workshop
Solutions that I just picked up has plans for a workbench where the
laminated top uses 1/4" plywood splines between each board.
todd

On 27 Nov 2003 07:47:52 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@netzero.com (mike) wrote:
Mike, I have never come across anyone using allthreads (I am a newbie)
as you describe it below. I will soon be starting on my workbench
after I completed my mobile saw cabinet.
I am wondering how do you keep all the laminations align since you
bored 7/16" holes with 5/16 allthreads and what glue are you using?
Thanks

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Every once in a while you are going to need to flatten the top. Eventually,
you will plane down to those biscuits. After running the two sections
through your planer, it should not be too hard to do one final glue joint
and get is nice and flat. You can put a clamp with the joint (across the
thickness, part of each clamp on each section) at each end of the glue up,
then put your main clamps across the width of the joint. Use white glue and
you will have longer to open time to get it right. Remember, the glue
joint, even with white glue, will be stronger than the wood.
Cheers,
Eric

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